Startup investment tops $308M in in 2019

Investment in Wisconsin startups topped $308 million in 2019 — a $39 million increase over the previous year, according to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

Using data from Pitchbook, the results indicate the state’s early-stage ecosystem continues to attract funding and increase the total capital invested, the WEDC said.

In 2019, there were 70 deals statewide, with 10 organizations receiving more than $10 million and six receiving more than $20 million in funding. In 2018, there were 92 deals with a total of $269 million of investment.

While 2019 had fewer deals than 2018, the WEDC said the numbers follow national trends and are an indicator that Wisconsin companies are able to attract more money from deeper-pocketed investors, including those out of state. In addition, companies are raising more money per round than in previous years.